Why me? Why us?
by Andromeda Hayes
Summary: They wake up strapped down to tables, and they've been unconscious for quite awhile. Two people walk in, and start cutting them. What's the reasoning behind all of it? No one knows. Okay, so my summary might suck. Just read and review! Rated M for safety, mainly because of blood/cutting descriptions and stuff. Also, I'm going to claim some OOC and AU so no one can start yelling.
1. Chapter 1

**Quick little AN: I will be saying what the PoV is, and if you have questions about what is going on, PM me. I will try to explain best I can. Loves, Andromeda. **

Trish's POV

I looked over at Bobby and he cocked his head. I shook mine, and I saw the alarm in his eyes. Sometime during the night the both of us had been kidnapped and ended up on some sort of table in a containment cell. When we tried to talk to each other, that's what we had to do. Talk. In some way or another they had taken our powers. All of them.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Bobby asked, and then jerked.

"I...I think so. Are you?" When we spoke, we were electrocuted. Lightly, but it happened.

Our wrists and ankles had been restrained to the tables we were on with some of the strongest Velcro I'd ever come across. I didn't like the situation we were in. I was worried and cold. All I had on was a spaghetti strap tank top and pajama shorts, and all Bobby had on was a pair of shorts.

Somebody came in with a rolled piece of cloth, and I started to wonder. They unrolled it on one of the carts that was near my table. I cringed when I saw that all it contained was a medium sized blade and two long strips of cloth. I knew things were bad.

"Well, I guess now I'm the one in control of everything now, mutie," they sneered. They picked up one of the strips of cloth and stepped toward me. "Open wide." I did as they said and they tied the cloth around my mouth. Now I couldn't say anything.

They rolled up my tank top to reveal my torso and I shivered. They picked up the blade and my eyes widened in alarm. He pressed the point of the blade into my left forearm, and began to draw a line down it. The blade was going deep, and blood started to run down my arm to my elbow. As it made it's way down my arm, it truly started to hurt, and they continued down my arm to my shoulder. A few tears welled up in my eyes, and Bobby saw it.

"Trish! Leave her alone! What are you doing?" He yelled. Someone else came in and pressed the side of their hand to Bobby's windpipe, gagged him, and tied a cloth around his mouth. I screamed, but it was muffled by the gag I had on.

My eyes widened when I realized that the other person that came in had another blade. The tip of the blade got pressed into his wrist and drawn down to his shoulder. As the blade was stabbed into my other arm, they began to do the same to Bobby. I watched the blood drip down his arms, and I started to cry. I couldn't stand the pain.

The guy who was cutting me stuck his hand behind my back and I shivered. He pulled my right wing out from behind me and I whimpered at the pain he caused. He straightened it and started to slice it. I watched him smile and I couldn't stand it. I could feel the blood dripping over my feathers and drying on my wings.

I glanced over at Bobby and saw that he was in pain too. Because they had taken our powers away, I couldn't feel it. They had temporarily made us human, and I hated it. The one in front of me jerked out my left wing and slowly started to slice it open. I had truly started to cry, and I could tell that both of the people here were enjoying it.

"Well...is the poor little girl in pain? Good! Now stop crying!" he jeered, taking the blade closer to my face than I would have like him to, and then cut my cheek. I felt it start to bleed, and tried to stop crying. I knew that if I didn't, he'd slash my face, and possibly even my chest more and more.

He pressed the tip of the blade onto my stomach and I cringed. As he drew the line down my side, I could see what the other guy was doing to Bobby. He was carving the letter "M" into his stomach, and I knew that would be my fate. His body was slick with sweat, but I had no idea what I could do. I continued to feel the "M" gouged into my stomach, but I let them do it.

"This is to remind you of what you are. A dumb, good for nothing, damned mutant. You think you're better than us. That you'll take over the world. Well, you're wrong. You won't," the guy who was hurting Bobby quipped. I whimpered as the man in front of me started to draw the knife down my leg, starting just above my knee.

"Thought I told you to shut up!" he said, slicing my other cheek. I looked over his shoulder to find that Bobby was nearing unconsciousness, his eyes fluttering. His left leg was bleeding badly, with a gash in the same place as mine. Just as a cut was started on my right leg, the doors from the hallway opened. The look on the face of the guy in front of me went from power-happy to panic.

"We have to get out of here! Once those doors open their powers will come back!" the other guy yelled. I shook my head.

"If you somehow called them here, even if you didn't, this is for that," he growled, jerked his head toward the door, and put two slashes on my chest in a v-like shape, and ran out with the other guy, but both left their blades.

As the door opened to the hall it revealed Jean and Logan. I gasped, but winced as it caused my stomach, chest, and just about everywhere else to bleed more.

Bobby had started to fall unconscious, but he opened his eyes and was immediately more alert. He was struggling against the bonds on his wrists, but Jean put her hand on his chest.

"Shh. Hold still," she instructed softly and removed the cloth that was tied around his mouth. He nodded as she cut the bonds away from his wrist with one of the blades that was left in the room. He winced each time as she cut away the strap.

Logan rushed over to me, a look of both rage and concern in his eyes.

"Hang on. Let me get you out of here," he told me. He let one of his claws out, coming toward the straps on my left wrist that was just above my head. I shied away, not wanting to be near anything sharp.

"Relax. You'll be fine." I nodded slightly and dropped my arm immediately as the first restraint was broken. Seconds later my right arm was free, along with my right leg. I was leaning back on the table as Logan cut my left leg free. Because I was on an angle, I wasn't falling straight down. As I tried to peel away from the table, Logan stuck one arm under my knees and another behind my back. He put me on the floor near the table with my back against an island. He reached up and untied the piece of cloth that was around my mouth.

"Logan...How did you find us?" I asked.

"When we couldn't find you at home or at your parent's place, we went back to New York and tried to figure out what may have happened. When Charles used Cerebro, you two didn't come up," he started.

"We didn't?" I asked.

"No. He knew he'd have to reach out himself and try to find you. And that's what he did. He told us where you were and we set out. Now hold still," he instructed as he took a piece of white cloth and started to clean the blood off of my left arm. Every time he touched the cut I flinched, and he reassured me each time that I'd be fine.

I glanced over Logan's shoulder and saw that Jean was trying to treat Bobby's wounds, only she wasn't being very successful. Every time she touched him, he jerked and pushed her away.

Trish, what's going on? The two of you don't have your powers, and that really isn't helping me any right now, Jean asked me.

I don't know. We haven't had our powers since we woke up here. The people who were in here cutting us panicked as you and Logan opened the doors and said something like we would get our powers back when the door opened. I'm thinking it may be something in the walls. But that doesn't explain why you still have your powers, I told her.

Interesting. I just wish there was a way I could get you guys your powers back. I've got a feeling that if you were able to talk to Bobby I'd be able to help him.

Logan started to wrap my arm with gauze, and I was ready to cry out from the pain I was in. I was wondering why my powers hadn't come back, and I was starting to worry.

As he started to clean my right arm, I jerked away and tried to get up. He pushed me back down and pulled a vial of something and a syringe out of the bag Jean had given him.

"Logan, what is that?" I asked him. He didn't respond at first.

"Just hold still. It'll help with the pain you're in." He grabbed my forearm and started to clean off my wrist with an alcohol wipe.

"But what is it?"

"A heavy dose of morphine. Hold still," he explained. I pulled my arm away.

"No. Logan, right now I'm not a mutant. Which means what usually doesn't affect me will. A heavy dose of morphine wouldn't exactly be the best thing."

"You're right." He put the vial in his hand back into the bag and took out a different one. Before I had the chance to ask him what it was he had a syringe full of it into my arm. I shook my head, frustrated that he didn't tell me what it was.

My vision started to blur and I tried to shake it. I couldn't clear my eyes. The pain in my body was going away, and I looked over at Bobby again.

"Logan...What about...Bobby? He needs...it too..." I trailed, my speech slowed.

"Jean's taking care of it. Don't worry. Hold still and relax," he said in a hushed tone, trying to calm me down. He finished up wrapping my right arm and moved on to my torso. As he tried to clean the blood off of the area around my stomach, I groaned. Then he started to wrap around the bottom of my ribcage and I yelped. He paused, and then looked up at me.

"Sshh. Hold on. You're going to be okay," he cooed. I nodded and he continued.


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's Chapter 2. Hope you liked Chapter 1. R&R please!**

Once Logan had finished my waist and legs, he started to get up. I grabbed his wrist and he knelt back down.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked.

"They...They cut my wings, too, Logan...It really hurts," I answered. He gingerly took the tip of my right wing in his hands and pulled it from behind my back. I whined as he continued on. Once he got a look at my wing he grimaced and turned around to face Jean, who was just helping Bobby get up.

"Jean. They sliced her wings too. I'll need your help here," he beckoned, and she nodded.

"Bobby, sit back down and relax. I need to go wrap Trish's wings for her," she told Bobby, and I cocked my head.

"Why such explanation for him? I think he'd be able to tell himself, Jean," I wondered.

"He's...Not really able to think for himself. I gave him the morphine and he went into a sort of high. I didn't think it would happen to him," she explained, and I let out a gasp. I noticed Bobby struggling to get up, and I tested our empathy link. Somehow my powers had come back recently.

**_Bobby...Stay down. You're hurt right now. _**

_**I know...Morphine's worn out a little. I can think a little better now. I'm surprised that you didn't have the same high.**_

_**I convinced Logan not to give me the morphine. Instead he gave me a strange anesthetic that blurred my vision a little and then I was fine.**_

I **_see. Are you okay? I saw what they did to you. How are your wings?_** he asked as Jean started to wrap my right wing. I whimpered and bit the inside of my cheek to stop from crying out.

I'm_ fine. It's just...the shock of the pain each time Jean moves my wing is excruciating,_ I told him.

As Jean continued to wrap my wing, I dug my nails into the palms of my hands to keep from screaming. Logan took my hand in his and squeezed it. I looked up at him smiled, but it probably turned out as a grimace.

"Hang on, kid. You'll be fine. Relax," he said quietly. As I nodded I noticed Bobby attempting to get up again, and I tried to deter him.

_**No...Stay down. I'll be okay. Relax and sit down or you'll hurt yourself more. Don't come over here just because I'm in pain. Just because I can't handle not being myself.**_

_**Too bad. Just hang on.**_

_**Damn it Bobby, NO! You need...To relax. Sit back down,** _I screamed at him.

**_Fine. But only for you,_ **he surrendered.

Jean finished up my right wing and moved on to the left one. I noticed she had given Logan a rag and he started to reach for my chest. He touched the rag to the area around the gash over my heart and I yelped. I knew he was trying to help, but everything hurt and all of my nerves were on end.

"Hold still, T. I'm trying to clean this up and see how bad it is," he instructed gruffly, and I nodded.

"I know, Logan. All of my nerves are just over-sensitive and my powers are coming back so slowly I'm in a lot of pain," I told him, and Jean nodded.

"I'm wondering what caused you two to lose your powers when you got here. Logan and I haven't lost ours, and you guys are just now regaining your powers. How long have you two been here?" she asked.

"No idea. We woke up around half an hour ago and that's when the weirdos here started cutting us. When did we go missing?"

"Two nights ago. If I'm to believe everything, they haven't done anything except hold you two here. Which means once you get your powers back you should be fine," she explained. I shivered slightly as Jean taped the end of the wrap onto itself on the tip of my wing. Logan had started to clean the actual gash on the area over my heart and I had noticed each minute that I was in less pain. I knew my powers were coming back and I was glad of it. The only thing bugging me was that, even with my powers back, I wouldn't be healed for a day or so. Which meant that, although I would generally be back on my feet again in a few hours had my powers not been suppressed, I would be in some of the same pain I'm in now tomorrow.

_**Trish, do you feel okay? To me it feels like you could throw up.**_ Bobby popped into my head and I looked over at him.

_**I'm fine, I think. Do you feel okay? I'm just in pain, and I've got a pounding headache combined with my powers coming back, which hurts a LOT more than you'd think.**_

_**Odd. I'm fine too. It's just that I've got a crazy headache from the lights being so bright in here,** _he answered quickly, and I grew worried.

**_Bobby the lights aren't that bright. There are only half of the bulbs that should be in here in here. Are you sure that you're okay?_ **I repeated my question just as he quickly bent over with his hands pressed to his temples. He gasped and groaned harshly and I jumped. Logan pressed on my shoulder to keep me from getting up, and Jean stood back up and walked swiftly over to Bobby.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, her hand on his shoulder.

"I don't...know. My head hurts...so badly. I don't know...why this is happening," he panted, his voice rough.

"Hold still," she instructed, and he tried to nod. She closed her eyes and they flew open within seconds.

"It's just you're powers coming back. This'll be over soon. Hang on," she said, moving back over to the bag of medical supplies she had and pulling out a syringe and a small vial.

She kneeled next to Bobby and filled the syringe halfway. As she tried to take one of his hands away from his head, Bobby shuddered and gasped again.

**_Bobby. Let Jean give you this. It'll be over soon, I promise. You'll be okay. Relax_**. I tried to comfort him, and I could tell that it was working.

_**How can you...stand the pain of your powers coming back?** _he asked me slowly, and I didn't respond right away.

_**Sometimes I can't. But I put it in the back of my mind and try to continue on. Last summer when...when I had the fight with Mystique, my powers came back really slowly. You knew the pain I was in. I know you can do the same thing. Let Jean give you the morphine. It'll help you, Bobby. I promise.**_

Bobby took his right hand away from his temple, and laid his arm down on the floor near Jean. She took his wrist in one hand, and pressed the tip of the needle into his it. He jerked, but held still. As Jean pushed the plunger down, Bobby shifted and the lights above illuminated the sheen of sweat covering his body.

_**Bobby, you'll be okay. Just hang on. Relax. Hang on. It'll be over soon.** _I tried to comfort him, and I could tell it was working along with the morphine Jean had given him.

Jean pulled the needle out of his wrist and he sighed roughly. He put his head back and rested it on the table behind him. As he closed his eyes, I saw his entire body relax.

Jean got up and walked back over to where Logan and I were, and kneeled on my left. She grabbed another piece of cloth like the one she had given Logan, and started dabbing at the blood on my cheek. I cringed as she pressed on my cheekbone, and she stalled for a moment. She put the cloth down and picked up an alcohol wipe and started to clean the gash. My jaw clenched, and I balled my hands into fists to keep from screaming. The burn of the alcohol was intense, and I almost shoved her away.

Logan put two butterfly bandages on the gash over my heart and moved onto the one near my right shoulder. I noticed that he was trying to be as gentle as possible, whereas Jean was just cleaning the wound like any other time. I tried to pull away from her, but Logan laid his hand on my shoulder.

"Jean, you need to use less pressure. You have no idea what kind of pain she's in, and the bleeding's already stopped," Logan aimed at Jean, and she looked up.

"I know. But if I don't use enough pressure nothing will happen," she retorted, and Logan's face hardened. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from my face. I unclenched my jaw and relaxed a little.

"I'm barely touching her, Jean, and it's just fine. She's in a lot of pain not only from all of this," he gestured to all of the areas that were wrapped in gauze on my body. "Plus her powers are coming back. That causes her more pain than you'd think. Take what Icecube here was just doing and multiply that by ten. That's what she's going through right now," he said stiffly, and Jean nodded.

"Logan, I didn't know that. Not everyone is an expert at these things. I'm surprised you are. Did you ever go through anything like this?"

"I don't know. Half of my past I've forgotten. You know that. But at least I know what it feels like to have your powers come back slowly. She has more than just one, though. So use a more gentle touch," he replied, and Jean nodded again.

Jean started to clean my cheek again, using a gentler touch. Logan continued on the gash near my right shoulder and I put my head back and closed my eyes. I just wanted all of this to be over. I just wanted to leave.

_**Are you still awake, Bobby?**_

_**Sadly, yes. The pain is starting to go away. But really I think the only thing I can do right now is this.**_ I opened my eyes and tilted my head back up to look at him. He opened his eyes and lifted a hand. I saw a glint of frost form on his fingertip and disappear instantly. He frowned at me and I nodded slightly, making sure I didn't move too much in order to not disturb what Jean and Logan were doing to me.

_**Don't worry, Bobby. I know that if I wanted to lift a rag off of the ground just an inch I couldn't. I can feel my healing abilities coming back, but I don't dare let my claws out or try to heal any part of me right now. So it isn't just you. Jean and Logan are almost done with my chest and face, so we'll be leaving soon.**_

I**_ know. Why would we be the ones captured? What's so special, so needed, from us?_**

**_If these people have anything to do with the people who captured us last time, everything. They think that I'm going to give them info on my powers, or maybe even let them do weird experiments. Other times they think they can literally take my powers. I don't know why._**

**_I guess so._**

I felt Jean put a butterfly bandage on my cheek and stand up. Logan had finished with the gash near my shoulder and started on my cheek. He was barely touching me, and I appreciated it. He knew I was in pain, and he respected me.

Logan finished cleaning the small slice on my cheek and offered his hand to help me get up. I took it with a tight grip and tried to pull myself up. My knees were weak, as was the rest of my body. He put a hand under my elbow to help support me and I slowly got to my feet. I wobbled a little before Logan put an arm around my shoulders, avoiding the tops of the cuts. I started taking a few steps toward Bobby and my knees almost gave out, but Logan just tightened his grip on my elbow and I was fine.

I saw Jean helping Bobby up and the agony he was in. He was leaning heavily on his right leg, and he was shaking. His knuckles were white from gripping Jean's hand so tight, and he was quite pale.

I stopped in front of him, and looked up at his face. He tried to smile at me, but was unsuccessful. I noticed dots of scarlet seeping through the bandages on his torso, and I lightly touched his stomach. He shivered and I rested my forehead on his chest.

_**You're bleeding again,** _I told him. _**The strain of getting up was too much for you. Let me heal you a little.**_

_**I'm...Fine. You don't need to. You just admitted you wouldn't try to heal yourself at all.**_

**_You're right. I did. But healing you a little won't hurt me that badly, if at all. Now hold still._** As I started to heal Bobby he began to tremble, breathing in short little pants.

"Are you okay?" Jean asked him.

"I'm-fine," he replied haltingly.

I finished healing him and brushed my lips over his heart, causing him to shiver lightly, but not enough for anyone else to see.

"Let's go. You two have been here for too long already," Logan instructed and I stepped away from Bobby and started to walk. I could feel the gouges on my knees and shins starting to reopen, and I gave a gasp of pain before I started to fall. Logan put an arm around my waist and pulled me back up.

"Are you sure you can walk?" he asked. I nodded slowly and he grunted. I noticed Bobby was leaning heavily on Jean and using her as a crutch. As I started to walk again I noticed blotches of scarlet surfacing on the bandages covering my knees and shins. I could hardly put any weight on either leg, so walking was truly painful.

As I put my right foot down, I couldn't stand the white-hot pain in my knee and started to collapse. Logan dipped down and stuck one arm under my knees and the other on my lower back, about a foot below the base of my wings.

"Didn't think so. Come on. We're going home," he told me, and I attempted a smile through the pain.

I lightly rested my head on his shoulder, relieved of some of the pain of walking. All I could hope was that we would be back at the Institute sooner rather than later as I passed out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here ya go! Enjoy!**

When I woke up I was in the lab, with Bobby lying on the table to my left. My wings were slightly extended on either side of me, and I noticed that they were unwrapped and looked horrid. The feathers were crusty and stuck together in places from the blood that hadn't been cleaned off. I looked over at Bobby and noticed that someone, probably Jean, had unwrapped a section near his left shoulder and had started to stitch up the slash. I wondered if she had stitched his entire arm or just the part near his shoulder that was the worst.

As I looked down toward my knees I noticed that the wrappings had been changed. I tried to move my arm to rub the sleep out of my eyes, and a sharp spike of pain went all the way from my elbow to my back. I groaned quietly and turned my head toward Bobby again. I knew I wouldn't be able to get up without someone helping me. That is, if I could walk yet.

_**God...I hurt all over,**_ I heard.

_**Are you awake, Bobby? Or am I picking up on your subconscious? **_I asked him.

**_I don't know. I don't want to wake up. When I was asleep, I wasn't in pain. But now I am and I don't want to be._**

**_I know how you feel. At least you could try and get up. I don't think I'd be able to get up without someone helping me,_ **I told him.

**_Yeah, well. I don't really want to. My left shoulder feels tight. As does my lower torso and my knee. You have any idea why?_**

**_Well, on your left shoulder I can see a partial line of stitches that goes below the wrap. I have no idea about the other areas, but it's probably the same reason. How long have I been out?_**

**_You passed out before we even left the building. I passed out on the jet ride, and the only time I woke up was when I had to get off. I was hardly awake when Jean helped me get here, and I passed out again once I laid down._ **He explained everything and I whimpered as I attempted to sit up. Every movement I made sent pain to some part of my body. My torso hurt the most, and I knew why.

**_How do you feel, Trish? I can tell you're in a lot of pain._**

**_Like crap. I really wish it would all just end. I'm in pain, I'm tired, and I want to be healed. Except I know I won't be for a few days or so. Sometimes I hate my powers, other times I don't._**

_**I know. You'll be fine faster than you think.**_

The doors opened with a puff of air and I tried to look over at who was coming in. I noticed both Logan and Jean walk in and wondered why it wasn't just one of them.

Logan walked over to me and smiled. "You're looking a little better from when we got back a couple days ago."

"Days? I've been out for days?" I asked, shocked.

"No. Though it seems like it. There's been absolutely nothing going on lately. You've only been out since last night and a little bit of today. It's ten thirty. How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like I got hit by a bus. Tired. That's about it. Why?"

"I was just checking. It's my job. Is that okay?" he grinned.

"Yeah. I really just want to go lay down in bed. I have a feeling it may be more comfortable."

"That's one of the reasons I'm here. The main reason is that Jean needs to 'make sure everything's okay' with all of the places you were hurt. Personally I'd just let you be and get you to your room." Then he lowered his voice. "But apparently I'm not the one in charge and my opinions don't matter sometimes." he smiled and stepped to the side as Jean turned and started to unwrap my right arm. I yelped as she neared my upper arm and continued to unwrap it. Logan took my hand in his and tried to keep me from moving. As I looked at my arm I realized that there were stitches near my elbow and gasped.

**_What's wrong?_** Bobby asked.

**_I had no idea that the slash on my right arm needed stitches. I didn't think it was that deep._**

**_I didn't think half of either of our cuts were very deep until Jean started stitching._**

_**Me either. Except I was asleep for so long I couldn't really feel anything.**_

As Jean started to unwrap my other arm Logan halted her and she stepped back. He put one arm around my shoulders and his other hand near my stomach and eased me up. I whimpered as I felt the skin around the "M" on my stomach tighten and pull. Jean finished unwrapping my arm and threw away all of the old wrapping.

She folded my tank top up a ways and started to unwrap the bandages on my torso and I moaned. I didn't want to be anywhere but in my own bed.

_**Hey. Just relax. You'll be fine,**_ Bobby told me, and I tried to relax.

When I saw how bad the slashes on my stomach looked, I winced. The entirety of it was ragged, and there were stitches that drew together half of the skin. As Jean touched my waist, I yelped and tried to flinch away. Logan kept a firm hold on my back and had his fingers laid lightly on my stomach. He kept me still as Jean grabbed a small pair of scissors and tweezers to remove the stitches.

She cut the first stitch and I sucked in air as she removed it and started on the next few. Logan kept murmuring in my ear as Jean worked, and I had to keep from screaming out more than a few times.

_**Bobby...Are you okay?**_

_**I'm fine, Trish. Don't worry. You'll be okay in a few minutes. Relax,**_ he thought softly. He tried to comfort me, and I was grateful.

"Only two more, T. She's almost done. Hang on for just a few more minutes," Logan murmured softly. I nodded almost imperceptibly, and curled my hands into fists as Jean cut the stitch closest to my stomach. She pulled it out, cutting the final one and pulling it out in a fluid motion.

"Okay. I think I'll leave the stitches on your leg and arms in for a day or so longer. Those were worse than this was," Jean told me, gesturing to my torso.

"Hey. Let's get you out of here and to your room. Maybe then you can finally relax," Logan told me. I nodded, and he removed his left hand from my stomach and put it under my knees. As he picked me up I gasped harshly as the movement jarred my knees.

"Just hold still. We'll get you to your room soon enough," he whispered. Over his shoulder I saw Jean helping Bobby up and she started removing his stitches. I rested my head on Logan's firm shoulder and closed my eyes as he started to walk out of the lab.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is pretty long, but hey. I've seen chapters in some books that are only a page long. Hope you've been enjoying this! And please, review! I'd love to see what you think!**

When I woke up, I noticed that my wings were sprawled out on either side of me, and my blanket was folded at the end of the bed. Bobby was lying spread-eagled on his bed, grunting in his sleep. I tried to get up, and realized that I wouldn't be able to move my shoulder for a while. I looked down at my stomach and saw that where Jean had removed the stitches was an odd purplish color.

_**Bobby?**_

_**What's wrong, sweetheart?**_ he asked sleepily.

**_I don't know, to tell you the truth. Where all the stitches were taken out is a weird purple color. I want to be closer to you, but I can't really move,_** I told him. I saw him open his eyes and nod.

He pushed himself up, and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. As he limped over to the edge of my bed, I tried to move my wings and roll onto my side.

"Hang on," Bobby whispered to me. "I'll help you. I don't want you hurting yourself more." He lifted me off of the bed about six inches and shifted my wings out from under me. I rolled onto my side, and he laid down next to me. Tears started to run down my face.

"Hey. Don't cry. I'm sorry you're in this much pain. You really should try to heal yourself," he murmured. I shook my head.

"I don't think I could. I already feel like crap."

"Try. You don't know until you try."

"I'll try to heal you, but I'm not going to try myself. It's easier for me to project the power when I feel like this," I told him. He nodded to me, and I started to unwrap the gauze near his bicep. He flinched as I neared his elbow, but I laid my hand on his chest and he relaxed.

"Hold still. It'll be better soon," I cooed. He put his head down on one of the pillows, and I pulled the wrap off of his arm. I touched his shoulder and he sucked in air.

I watched the gouge start to close, and I leaned down and kissed his shoulder. He shivered and moaned as I started to unwrap his torso. I knew he was in pain, but I couldn't do anything for him.

"God, Trish, that hurts!" He tried to push me away and I grabbed his wrist.

"If I put up with it, you can too. Now hold still." I laid his wrist back down and put my hand on his waist. He trembled under my touch, but he lay there in silence.

"Thanks...I just don't know how...you can stand all of this crap," he said shakily. I nodded and finished healing him. I drew my hand away from his stomach and attempted to lay down next to him. Instead he pulled me on top of him, being extra cautious of all of my injuries. I buried my face in the curve of his neck, and he put his hand on the small of my back.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Bobby," I told him.

"I'll be fine as long as I have you. Now relax, hun," he smiled at me. I closed my eyes and sighed happily. He began to rub circles on my lower back and I melted into his arms. Slowly he brought one hand up to my face and lifted my chin so my eyes could meet his.

I went to kiss his forehead but he grabbed my face in his hands and met my lips with his.

_Bobby's POV_

As she went to kiss my forehead I cupped her face in both my hands and kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled and relaxed into my arms. With her head on my chest I started to rub little circles on the small of her back. I could tell she was just happy to be able to relax after everything we'd gone through. She sighed against the side of my neck and I slipped my hands under her tank-top to her stomach. I brushed the tips of my fingers along the edges of the cuts on her torso and she shivered, flinching away from me.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Fine. It just...really hurts. I don't know why this had to happen to us," she sighed, attempting once more to bury her head in curve of my neck. I drew one of my hands out from under her shirt and put it on the back of her neck.

"You're okay. Just go ahead and get to sleep. I'm here, and I always will be. Love you," I whispered to her, and rolled both of us to our sides. As I pulled up the blanket, she exhaled slowly and curled up next to me. She shivered when I put my arm around her, so I pulled it away.

"No, you're fine. Just...I'm glad I can finally relax."

"Okay. Sweet dreams," I told her and kissed the top of her head. I closed my eyes and succumbed to the temptation of sleep, only to meet a horrible night.

_Trish's POV_

I had just started to drift into a deep sleep when I felt a strange prick of fear and panic. I woke myself up and blinked sleepily at Bobby. His brow was furrowed, and there were beads of sweat forming on his face.

I put my hand on his bare chest and shook him lightly. "Bobby, wake up. Bobby. It's okay, wake up," I started to say, but he jerked and started to pant heavily as he mumbled something. As I listened harder I realized it was my name.

"Trish...Leave her alone...Nnnghnn," he jumbled, and I shook him more.

_**Bobby! Wake up! What's wrong?**_

"Trish..? Oh...God it was just a dream. I...What was going on?" he asked sleepily, and I stared up at him.

"I only woke up because all I could feel was fear and panic. You looked angry at first, and then scared, so I tried to wake you up. What was going on?" I told him.

"I don't know. It was mainly jumbled flashes, but all I could see was you in...wherever we were. I couldn't do anything...It...It really hurt seeing you like that," he answered, and I laced my fingers through his. I kissed the middle of his chest and felt him shudder.

"Relax. Don't worry. I'm here now and I always will be. And it hurt me, too, to see you getting hurt when I couldn't do anything about it," I whispered against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.

_Bobby's POV_

As Trish finished her sentence, I circled my arms around her and pulled her closer. I put my face near her hair and breathed the scent of her in. It was a mix of salt, blood, and something metallic. It was her oddly signature scent, and I knew I couldn't live without it. She began to trace little patterns on my chest as I stroked her wings, and I shuddered.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"No, you're fine. Apparently I'm still not a hundred percent is all. Where I was given those nasty slashes on my stomach is seriously over sensitive."

She looked first up at me, and then down to my waist. She gasped and met my worried gaze. "Bobby, generally when I heal you there aren't scars. This time there is. And it's really not that pretty," Trish said worriedly, and I looked down at my stomach. There was a welted scar on my torso in the shape of the "M" that had gotten carved into it and it looked horrible.

"But how...?" I asked.

"There...There must have been something on the knife they cut you with. I...I don't know if I can do anything. I'm sorry, Bobby," she sighed, and I grabbed her hand.

"It's not like it's your fault, sweetheart. Neither of us knew this was going to happen. I'll be fine. Promise," I assured her, and I gently kissed the top of her head.

She lightly laid her fingers on my torso near the top of the scars and I jerked at the unexpected pain that came with it. I clenched my jaw and she looked at me, her eyes soft and apologetic.

"I'm sorry that this hurts, Bobby. I'm just trying to make it hurt less."

"I know. I just can't believe how _much_ it hurts."

She kissed me gently on my lips, and I started to kiss her back. I moved one arm up to the back of her neck and pressed her closer to me.

_Trish's POV_

I kissed Bobby gently on the lips to try and distract him from the pain. Apparently it worked, because he moved one hand up my spine to the back of my neck and pressed me closer to him. I wrapped my arm around his broad shoulders, trying to get him closer to me without causing either of us pain. He opened his mouth and let his tongue flit around the edges of my mouth, and my lips parted. Our tongues danced as Bobby found the hem of my tank-top and slowly pulled it up. I whimpered softly as I felt him grow cold and start to freeze away the pain in my torso. I trailed my fingers up his chest, causing him to tremble.

He started to move his other arm down my back toward my hips when I pulled away suddenly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's my stomach. I'm sure it's nothing. Sorry," I explained, and he kissed my forehead.

"You're fine. It's probably my fault anyway."

"No, it's not. When you froze the gashes they hurt way less," I told him.

"Really? I didn't even realize I was getting cold until you pulled away. I could have frozen you completely. Could have killed you."

I rested my forehead on his chest and tried to get closer to him. I shivered a little, and he looked down at me, concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just trying to get comfortable. Don't worry," I reassured him, and he pulled the quilt up and over us.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yet another update! Sorry if they are kind of spaced out, the uploading process is hard and nearing impossible on mobile, and my laptop is a pain sometimes. Anyways...Chapter 5! I'm also combining this chapter with what I originally had as chapter 6. It just seems to flow better. **

When I woke up next to Bobby I was ready to get up. He rolled his head to look at me, and I ran my fingers along his jawline. Bobby turned his face to kiss my fingers and I smiled. I craned my neck up and kissed the tip of his nose, making him smile brightly at me.

"How are you feeling, baby?" he asked me softly, pushing a strand of hair away from my forehead.

"Much better. How about you?" I responded, and started to push the blanket off of us, revealing his abdomen. The scar on it had worsened overnight, and I gasped in fear. I lightly brushed my fingers along it, and he jerked, groaned, and bent toward his knees.

"Bobby! Oh God Bobby I'm sorry! Look at me, Bobby! Please!" He tried to stop moaning from the pain I had inflicted onto him, but he couldn't. Although he did straighten out I still felt horrid.

"Trish...What's going on? Why is this happening to me?"

"I don't know, Bobby." I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, and realized that it was sometime near midnight. As horrible as I would feel waking Jean up, it had to be done. "Come on, Bobby. We have to get Jean and get you to the lab. I'm sorry you're in so much pain. Come on. Promise you'll feel okay. It'll be okay, Bobby. It's okay. Come on," I said, trying to comfort him. He attempted to push himself up onto his elbows, and he shook violently. I sat up, trying to ease him up with me.

"Trish, stop! I...I don't think I can do it. I'm sorry. You'll have to get Jean to come here," he admitted, and I nodded.

"I think I'll be able to run there. As much as I hate waking Jean, or anyone after midnight, I think I'll have to make exceptions. I promise I'll be back soon," I said quietly, and he nodded. I got up, testing out the ability to put weight on my legs.

Once I knew I could walk, I wrenched the door open and sprinted down the hall toward Jean and Scott's room. I arrived and pounded on the door, finally deciding to just open it.

"Jean!" I screamed, and watched Scott stir in their bed. "Jean! Wake up, Jean!"

"What...? Trish, what is it?" Scott slurred, but then shot up when he realized the shape I was in.

"It's...Bobby. Something's wrong. I don't know what's going on. I need Jean to come and see what's happening to him," I explained, which caused him to flip over and shake Jean's shoulder. She woke up slowly, and propped herself up on her elbows.

"Trish...? What's wrong?" I sighed exasperatedly, and explained again to Jean what I had to Scott.

"Something's wrong with Bobby. I tried to heal the awful thing on his torso earlier tonight, and then when we woke up a few minutes ago and I looked down at it the scar had turned a strange purplish color and when I went to touch it it really hurt him. I have no idea what's going on. Jean, you have to come and help him," I explained, worried out of my mind.

"Okay. Hang on a minute." She got up, grabbed a t-shirt to put over her tank-top, and walked over to me. I turned out of the door, and with Jean on my heels, sprinted back down the hallway.

We burst back into Bobby and I's room, and I ran straight to the bed that Bobby was laying on. He was curled into a fetal position with his arms wrapped around his stomach.

"Bobby...It's okay. I brought Jean. Relax. We're going to help you. Bobby, you'll be okay, I promise," I rambled, my voice cracking. I was near tears, but I didn't want him to know that.

"Bobby, I need you to relax. I need you to stretch out and just relax. You'll be okay," Jean explained, trying to reassure him. He was shivering, and I couldn't believe what was going on. Slowly, he stretched out a little, and I was horrified at how pale he was.

I sat down next to him, and pulled his head into my lap. When I looked at his abdomen, I saw that the scars had turned a horrid purplish-red color, and they had welted above the rest of his torso. I moved one hand down his arm, taking his hand in mine. A violent shake passed through him as Jean sat on the edge of the bed, moving aside the blanket that was barely covering him.

"Bobby...You'll be okay. Relax. It's okay...Just hang on," I whispered to him, and he tried to nod.

Jean lightly touched Bobby's stomach, and he jerked. She ran her fingers along the first part of his scars, and he hissed through a clenched jaw. I squeezed his hand, trying to distract him.

"Trish, keep him still. I'm going to run down to the lab and grab some morphine. I'll be back as soon as I can be," Jean told me, and I nodded.

_**Bobby...What's going on?**_

_**I...Don't know. There was probably something on the blade. I just don't know why.**_

_**I don't either.**_

_**Don't worry about it, Trish. There's**_- "Aahh! Nnnaah!" he screamed, and I pressed down on his shoulders to keep him from moving.

"Hold still, Bobby. Jean will be back soon. Try to relax. You'll feel better," I told him quietly, and he nodded lightly.

Jean walked back into the room with a few syringes and a small vial of morphine. She ripped the plastic off of one of the syringes, and stuck the tip into the vial. She filled it about halfway, and set the vial on the small bedside table. Perching on the edge of the bed, she took Bobby's forearm into her hands. As she stuck the needle into his wrist, he jerked and arched his back.

"Ssshhh. You'll be okay. This will help. I promise. Shhh," I whispered, and I could tell he was trying to relax.

Jean sat back a moment, waiting for the morphine to kick in. When Bobby shuddered and let out a long sigh, she leaned forward again and laid a hand on his torso. He shivered a little at the coldness of her hand, but other than that nothing happened. She ran her fingers over one of the welts and gasped.

"This is...Not good," she commented.

"We know that, Jean. What's going on?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"There must have been some kind of poison on the blade that they cut him with. I truly don't have any other explanation for this," she told me, and I was taken aback.

"Tell me you can do something. Please."

"There isn't much I can do. I wish I could do something, so don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure how this really happened," she explained. I shook my head, wondering what was going to happen.

_**Trish...I'll be fine. Promise. You shouldn't worry about me so much,**_ Bobby thought, and I looked down at him.

_**Then what should I do? If Jean can't do anything you'll be in so much pain for a long time. I don't want that for you,**_ I countered, and he stared up at my face.

**_I don't want it either. But I'm also wondering...What is your scar like? I know it has to be similar._** I raised my eyebrows at him as he groaned and started to shiver. Apparently the morphine was already wearing off, which surprised me. Jean continued staring at the scars, bemused at why they were there.

"There has to be a reason at why this is happening," she muttered.

"Is there any way you could find out what?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"I'm not sure. I know that right now the only thing I can really do is give you morphine, Bobby," she answered, looking down at him.

"Well, it helps. A lot. I just wish that I didn't have to deal with it," he responded roughly, gasping as a wave of pain washed over him, this time affecting me as well. I put one hand lightly on my stomach, the other on Bobby's shoulder. Jean leaned forward and grabbed another syringe and the vial of morphine. She filled it about a quarter of the way and shot it into Bobby's wrist as I leaned back onto the mass of pillows on my bed. He sighed softly as he was able to relax, and I let out a soft sigh also as his pain disappeared.

"Hold still for a minute, Bobby," Jean instructed. He nodded stiffly and she started to trace her fingers over the scars, this time pressing lightly over each one. Not a single sound was elicited from his mouth, but I knew that this was torture for him. I started to run my fingers through his hair, and he closed his eyes. He was tired, and so was I.

"Oh. This isn't good," Jean whispered.

"What?" I asked, my head jerking off the pillows.

"I think I've figured out why this is happening to you, Bobby," she said.

"And?" I asked anxiously.

"They've put some kind of chip in each cut on your torso, Bobby," she explained, looking at him. "This means that in order to get them out, we have to reopen all of them."

"I don't care. Just...please, get them out. It hurts...Too much," he panted, and I started to massage little circles into his shoulders. He moaned and leaned his head back into my lap. I could tell he just wanted to get all of this over with.

"Do you think you'd be able to get down to the lab?" she asked him, and he shook his head.

"I can barely move now, Jean. I don't think I'd be able to do any more than sit up," he explained. She nodded and got up quickly off of the bed.

"Well then, I'll be right back. I need to get a few things from the lab to get those out. Stay still and try to get comfortable," she ordered, and Bobby and I both nodded.

* * *

When Jean got back, I could feel that Bobby was worried and scared.

"Shh. It'll be okay, Bobby. I promise. Just relax and you'll be okay," I breathed, and he shifted his weight from shoulder to shoulder.

Jean sat down on the bed and completely uncovered Bobby. He shuddered from the cold, and I continued to massage his shoulders. As Jean shifted her position on the bed to check where exactly the chips were in Bobby's torso, he screamed.

"Bobby what is it!" I panicked, and he said nothing, writhing on the bed.

"It...It...I don't know! They must...Be able to...Control the chips...Like when...We had them...In our hands," he panted, and Jean nodded. She started to reopen one of the scars on Bobby's midsection, and he gasped. I started to massage his shoulders and neck again, though it wasn't helping.

"Trish, hold his hands. I'm going to be reopening the first scar and I don't want him moving," Jean instructed, and I slowly snaked my hands down Bobby's arms to his hands.

"Shh...You're okay. Just hold still, Bobby," I whispered, and he tried to stop moving. Jean drew the scalpel down the first scar, reopening it. I gasped at the way it looked, Bobby in so much pain and Jean trying not to hurt him anymore. Once she had fully cut the first scar open, she took a pair of tweezers and plunged into the bloody mess. She pulled out a fair-sized chip seconds later and I yelped as Bobby arched his back, his jaw clenched. I took both of his hands in my right and placed my left on the bloody line running down his midsection. I healed it, watching as it disappeared completely. I was happy that one of four was gone within minutes.

_**Trish...Thank you. So much. Tell Jean to...Hurry up. Please,**_ Bobby told me, and I nodded.

"Jean, can you go any faster?" I asked her.

"No, sorry. I'm not even sure where the chips are in each spot, Trish," she answered, and I shook my head.

I leaned my head down to meet Bobby's, and started to whisper to him. Jean took it as a cue to start reopening the second scar and drew the scalpel down the welted line. Bobby started to tense, but I continued to whisper to him. Jean removed the second chip, and I healed the scarlet line on Bobby's torso.

* * *

Jean continued removing the chips for the next half hour, and by the time she was done it was one AM. I could tell that all three of us were too tired to function anymore. Jean yawned softly and got up, picking up the vial of morphine, a syringe, the tweezers, and the scalpel she had used to get the chips out of Bobby's torso.

"Sorry I woke you up Jean, but thanks," I told her, and she nodded. Slowly, she walked out of the room and back toward her own. I leaned my head against the headboard, and Bobby shifted his head in my lap.

"Trish, get to sleep. You've been worrying about me for so long. I'm fine now. Please, sleep, baby," Bobby consoled, and I nodded, and then moved my body down so that I was lying next to him with my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me against his bare chest. As he started to rub my wings, I took his hand in mine, kissed it, and fell asleep.


End file.
